The Bold Baths of Kohler

Steps from the Kohler factory, where all those shiny, sleek faucets, sinks, and toilets are designed and crafted, is an underground sanctuary, Kohler Waters Spa. Here is where serious spa-goers pilgrimage to soak in the signature tubs and partake of the rejuvenating treatments.

The village of Kohler, a six-hour drive from the Twin Cities, is equidistant from Green Bay and Milwaukee and a few miles west of Lake Michigan. With the exception of the rolling hills of Kohler’s four acclaimed golf courses, including an Irish links-style course, it is surrounded by flat farmland dotted with red barns and black-and-white Holsteins.

Kohler created The American Club in 1918 as a planned community—it was among the first in the country and now is one of the oldest—to provide its factory workers, many of whom were European immigrants, with quality living conditions. After a long day at the factory, the workers headed across the street to The American Club, where they ate well, slept in dorm rooms, and—the real luxury—had hot running water at any time of day. The Tudor–style building now serves as the main hotel with 237 rooms and anchors the other ivy-covered brick buildings and the rest of the grounds, which lie primarily along the main street, Highland Drive.

At times, it feels claustrophobic and too much like The Truman Show: The post office and police station sit next to The American Club, and mansions and modest homes are adjacent to the Inn on Woodlake and The Shops at Woodlake. When my husband and I walked to dinner at Cucina (at The Shops), we strolled down residential streets and passed a brightly lit field where kids were finishing up a midweek soccer game. And everywhere are reminders of why the village and its 1,900 residents are there—Kohler products are at every turn. The spa, all the guestrooms, and every public bathroom are outfitted with Kohler pieces; Baker furniture and Ann Sacks tile and stone—both lines are owned by Kohler—grace every room.

The Carriage House, situated next to The American Club, has fifty-four guest rooms and offers a personalized experience and extra touches, including complimentary breakfast, high tea, and apéritifs in the lobby. It is also where the spa is located, and, unlike guests staying at The American Club or the Inn on Woodlake, those at the Carriage House don’t pay extra to visit the spa for a workout, steam, or dip in the pool. Morning to night, robed guests ride the elevator down to the lower level and pad across the gleaming black-and-white marble floors and into their heaven.

We booked an Immersion Suite in the Carriage House, as most Kohler Waters Spa guests do. These spacious suites, decorated in a contemporary Eastern style, accommodate in-room spa services. The centerpiece of the open floor plan is a two-person whirlpool bath outfitted with chromatherapy, in which lights mounted inside the tub change color to induce different moods. If that isn’t your style, there’s also a stone shower with multiple showerheads in the bathroom.